Skinny Houses --Designs

[MikeT]

The city of Portland, OR where I reside recently held a design competition to select "approved" designs for infill in residential neighborhoods.  For those of you who do not know about Portland, it (along with every city in the state) operates under a mandated Urban Growth Boundary.  This is a hedge against sprawl and meant to protect farmland.  The designs are now up on the city's web page and you can see some design options for small footprint situations.  For the purposes of this group, I can imagine a situation where it makes sense, but I can also imagine some needed modifications.  Anyway, here is the web site:

http://www.livingsmartpdx.com/home/

[jraabe]

Interesting design for only 15' wide. Interesting also that you always have to go up a flight of stairts to get to the main living area. But then that's often the case in urban apartments and brownstones.

[steve044]

Higgins wrote up and provided more photos of his house in the Spring/Summer 2004 issue of Fine Homebuilding.    Interesting how the high gable is terraced down a half level in the front to soften the verticality from the front.  Cool bumpouts and porch insets. Costs were $240 per square foot.  Has copper roof and gutters ($6,200) and radiant floors ($11,300).  No garage--he walks to work.

The article can be purchased at http://www.taunton.com/store/FHarchive/FHarch_Conf.asp?PQty=10&AQty=6&ExpireDate=2%2F27%2F2007+9%3A50%3A46+AM

[tjm73]

Higgins wrote up and provided more photos of his house in the Spring/Summer 2004 issue of Fine Homebuilding.    Interesting how the high gable is terraced down a half level in the front to soften the verticality from the front.  Cool bumpouts and porch insets. Costs were $240 per square foot.  Has copper roof and gutters ($6,200) and radiant floors ($11,300).  No garage--he walks to work.

The article can be purchased at http://www.taunton.com/store/FHarchive/FHarch_Conf.asp?PQty=10&AQty=6&ExpireDate=2%2F27%2F2007+9%3A50%3A46+AM

That $444,750......  You could have so much more for so much less......